Welding process and apparatus



y 12, 1953 A. R. MEYER 2,638,524

. WELDING PROZ'JE ISS AND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1951 5 sg xs-shuefi 1 A V I7 T IN VEN TORI G/me! I? 7172p):

A. R. MEYER v WELDING PROCESS AND APPARATUS May 12, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 24, 1951 FIG. 3

I INVENTOR. W I? n May 12, '1953 A. R. MEYER 2,

WELDING PROCESS AND APPARATUS 7 Filed Oct. 24, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 4

IN V EN TOR.

6411124 I? 774% F 9 17m 5 22? I May 12, 1953 A. R. MEYER 2,

WELDiNG PROCESS- AND APPAR T S Filed Oct. 24, 1951 "5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

gaze! 0- W @if u May 12, 1953 A. R. MEYER WELDING PROCESS AND APPARATUS 5' Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 24, 1951 FIG. 8

izvmvroze: @me Ma Patented May 12, 1953 WELDING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Amel R. Meyer, Grifiith, Ind., assignor to Graver Tank & Mfg. 00., Inc., East Chicago, 11111., a

corporation of Delaware Application October 24, 1951, Serial No. 252,919

12 Claims.

This invention relates to field-welded tank shells with vertical, cylindrically or differently curved plates, joined by continuous, homogeneous, horizontal weld seams. These weld seams are formed with a new variant of submerged arc welding.

Heretofore, submerged arc welding with long, bare electrode wires operating in a bed of granulated or powdered flux, has been used on work piece surfaces lying in flat position and supporting all or most of the flux. It was successful mainly in automatic shop work. In work on stationary, upright shells as encountered mainly in field construction it has been obvious for several years that flux and molten materials must be supported by some auxiliary mechanism, but no satisfactory support was available.

- I discovered the fact that particular difficulty was due even to relatively minor disturbance ofthe flux bed, caused by the escape of flux particles between a curved shell and a straight-edged support. I invented a mechanism which eliminates such disturbance while providing required and favorable conditions in the various other respects to be kept in mind. With this mechanism I have formed continuous, homogeneous, horizontal weld seams in stationary, vertical, cylindrical shellsfor the first time, so far as I know.

The mechanism uses a portable or movable, flexible flux support strip, provided by an endless band or the like. The support strip is held parallel to and slightly below a stationary, horizontal welding zone, preferably in fiat position. It is moved slight distances laterally and pressed against the rigid, curved shell, thereby forming a kind of shallow trough with a flat, tightly fitted bottom. Granulated or powdered flux is then poured into this trough, in sufficient amount to form a flux bed covering the welding zone, and a welding arc is traversed along that zone, submerged under the flux bed.

Without the expedient of pressing the strip against the shell and thereby forming a tight trough, the flux bed is seriously disturbed by downward escape of flux particles, and the resulting weld seam, if any, is inferior. With the expedient mentioned this defect is avoided and an adequate weld seam can be formed.

The disturbance mentioned can be explained briefly as follows. The formation of an adequate seam depends on a proper interplay of gravity and surface tension at the interface of molten and freezing metal and freezing and frozen slag. This surface tension in turn depends in part on surface tension in outer, cooler layers of freezing and frozen slag. The different surface conditions are the result of molecular forces, affected by the temperatures in the different layers. They are also affected by mechanical factors, such as disturbance of the flux or slag layer contacting the metal, due to gravitational escape of adjacent flux particles. In other words, the condition and ultimate form of the different layers and their interfaces depends largely on the tightness of the trough or support mechanism for the flux bed.

By means of the tight trough, mechanically formed in accordance herewith, it is physically possible to form the different flux layers into a mold which holds the molten metal so as to form a satisfactory weld bead. This physical process can be aided by suitable selection of various factors such as welding temperature, current density, etc. but it depends mainly on the mechanical conditions as mentioned.

The equipment which affords these mechanical conditions can travel around a stationary tank shell, constantly adding to the front end of the stationary flux bed and removing rear end portions therefrom, while traversing the welding electrode through the stationary part of the flux bed. The mechanical and physical details will be understood more clearly upon consideration of the detailed desorption which follows.

In the drawing Fig.- 1 is an elevation of a tank under construction in accordance herewith. Fig. 2 is a partial sectional plan view of the tank, on a somewhat larger scale taken along lines 22 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, taken along lines 33 in Fig. 2, on a more enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on a scale more enlarged than Fig. 3, taken along lines 44 in Fig. 3. Figs. 5 to 7 are sectional elevations, taken along the respective lines in Fig. 4 and being on the same scale with Fig. 4. Figs. 8 to 10 are sectional views on a still larger scale, taken along the respective lines in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 respectively.

A pair of horizontally elongated plate edges ID, IDA are to be joined, between vertical plates ll, IlA, forming part of the shell of the tank T under construction. The tanks are usually cylindrical and accordingly the plates have a slight, regular curvature, impressed thereon by wellknown shop or field procedures. Different radii of such curvature are used, depending on the size of the tank under construction. Sometimes the plates have irregular curvatures, due to dis-1 3 work. Frequently the plates have curvatures of both types, regular and irregular.

The new device uses a welding head I2, comprising a pair of rollers l3 driven by a motor 14 through a speed reducer l5. The rollers feed a bare metal electrode wire it from a reel l'l through a guiding nozzle 18 into a bed or layer 19 of granular or powdered flux, covering the edge if), NBA and surrounding plate-areas. Theflux, usually a silicate material, rests on a flexible conveyor belt to. Welding current is sup-- plied to the bare metal of the electrode-through the nozzle l8, under the control of instruments mounted in a box 2|. This box contains also: the instruments for the control of tho-motor-dtf It is connected to said motor by conductors 22, to the electrode nozzle by conductors island to. the shell plates by conductors 24. The welding head, nozzles, instrument box and flux belt are mounted on suitableparts of a chassis 25, shown; as suspended from. a; carriage im travel-1 ling;.:on .the horizontal top; edge l 9350f- "the" up,- perrplates .HA. The flux; isspoured' onto the belt :20 from a .supply 27 .onthe, carriage 25,. by. a; hosey28 awhich discharges I by gravity r through aathopper 291;having, azguiding; dischargerspout 30: mounted .1 on- :the suspended chassis .25:

The. ends 'of the ...conveyorrbel.t :2 F3 :are held, at 1 awpredetermined distance from one another, by: two v.rol1ers.:.3l,- .mounted .at, the :two .ends. of. horizontal structure or sub-frame32. The 'subframexis :pivotedgto the ;.chassis 25 at .33, so that the sub'eirame and. conveyor assembly can swing in am; approximately horizontal plane thereby" adapting :..itself :to :the shell .and ;'presenting the workingsurface of .the flux belt .to .'-the shell. sin uniform manner ;at -;both ends.z

An upperzsubstantially horizontal surface..pore tion or run1.34. of:the-..belt.extendsxalongandz slightly below. the horizontal. edges H),: GA; It

is .imoreror a less; flat transversely of .thecshell, .in order to give .suitable access. to .the electrode .i 8

supported by -an;.underlying-, ,rigid; memberyor; tray, amounted. .on -the sub l-frarnefi 2 by arms, .3 G i.

I .further provide brackets:.3'l, shown aas sup-.

ported byathe itraya35 and supporting; rollers .38.: These rollers :engage the free edge .of itheeupperi. belt run.34. Springs 39'.urge-:--the= brackets. 3i; andarollerszfili toward-the plate I l; whereby the rollers .38 -.shift the body ,ofthe upper :belt 1 run- 34nins5itS own, flat plane laterally towardathe. said. ;.plate I :I I Accordingly. :the working. edge: a ll 1: of; this upper,- flexible u belt 1 run contacts, the. curved rigid. steel plate .l lywith pressure A tight:

seal. ,is .thus effected in the -.contact:iarea between. thetbelt' and-plate, and ;temporarily; a;.'-tight,

leakprooftrough-H, 34 .is. formed,z.forthe flux,v beds. l9. This isimpossiblewith a .rigid tray; alone and also with a flexiblebelt .alone.

Noserious warping-or bucklingof theflexible. belt-is: encoutered upon said lateral flexingprz shifting and pressing, even with belts -,of;desir.- able. flexibility. for such. shifting,;. This is achieved by the support tray 35'. It. is facilitated. by making ,the lateral-distance involved in the; shifting-otthe. beltrelatively small, in. com.-- parisonwith, the 'lengthsof. the mix belt. In other words the. flux-supporting beltand tray combination is limber in a horizontal plane, rigid, in vertical planes, and biasedtobeandremain in, close contact with. the wall.

As thewelding head..l2.and associated-devices;- travel along the shell, new. portionsof .the. flux-1 The..hopper and? spout are preferably 4 belt must be added to those in contact with the wall, at the front, and corresponding portions removed in the rear. This is preferably done by forming the outer parts of the inclined end surfaces 4| into annular beads 42, on the belt rollers 31 (Fig. 5), so as to provide considerable traction; greater traction than exists at the belt edge 40. Rubbercrings and: sleevesarashown as providing belt=roller"surfaces 82 and 43 respectively; the surface 43 being in contact with the inner surface of the belt 20. The top of each.end-..surface-.4l is pressed against the wall I! with relatively high pressure, for instance by sWingi-ngly'.suspending the chassis 25, and thereby-ralso-the sub-frame 32, so that it tends to move-toWard-" the-plates and stopping such motionrby, the .rollers -3l. The resulting pressure on the end surfaces of the two rollers is equalized -bythe pivoted support 33 of the sub-frame 32 (Figs. 1 and 3).

Uniform-traction andrroller rotation is thus obtained: and. transmitted: to :the belt;". by uni"; form travel of .theecarriage-s 282 The i-uniformo travel otthe belt edgelt] relative'ftoithe.subs

. frame-32, obtainedrby .the rollers is substantial.- I

1y as fast as the travel of this sub-frame relative.- to the shell, and proceeds --.-in-.-theopposite E direction., As, atresult, the: relative mot-ion 1 of :al lll' beltportions :isruniform; ;the workingsrun .3 l'0f; the belt '20 -.is held-in .a practicallygstationaryzpos SitiOIIuWi-th respect toxthe-tankwal-lzrithe work ing runof the belt slides--relative:to thesupporte-- ing. tray; 35 at. the approximately, velocity: ate. which thesupporting frame 1 :etc." move, but: in; the opposite direction; ,and .the lower run of 13118 belt '2 i] moves. in'the :1 direction :of the "frame; 5 .att twice thespeed. thereof-, ,addingi successive IiPOl'" tions of "the endlesssbelt toxthe working; run: No other belt drive is required;

Depending, onwhether the-presentdevie -is.- used insideor outside of ltheshell, that. is;-:on: the concave .or convex side, -,itmayybe "desirable ato-f. make adjustments inrthe :pressureiof springsfifii actuating. the-brackets.- of the .lateralfrollers 38;

and in. the relativecposition of the tray? and drive rollers. However; when the .shellicurvature has a. long radius. and; the =.welding :zone 1 is,.-;relatively--; short, little or. .no-adjustment. is required-:inrthe rigid parts of the device. Two guide rollers 38,'aas.

. shown,- areoften. suflicient but .ofncourse: modifications may ybe desirable.-

Flux. particles shouldcbe prevented: fromxiinter fering with the .free movement. of .the ;belt 2 0 EOVBI the driver ,roller'3 l .2 Forthis purpose 'a 'zscraperi' 44 may be secured-to .the v-unde'rside of the tray 35; with. a. scraping edge adapted-.1130- remove .intercepted vparticlesefromithe.supper surface of fthe-s forward moving, lower belt run, ahead ofzzthee leading drive roller -.(Fig.@ 4)'.

The movable but tight-fitting upper "belt -run 1: 34, togetherwith the stationary'shellzplates, pro-.1 vides the trough or]formcforxthe.xundisturbed ii eifectivefiux .orslag tmold for the molten: metal. This :applies .primarily; on .one side ;of-the shell; wherethe --.-weld zone and welding-equipment. ias F shown-is slightly ahead ofthe other" side; A simia a ilar. trough is provided onnsaid other side; it :canz: be .utilized, first toprovide (a. flux ibackingi'fo'r ithEile'ading unit (comparable in some respectsswiithi'i the .flux backing. of J M; Keirs Patent -:2;145.-;.0,09 and ,G.. D. Bagleyfs Patent 2,294,439); and itycani: thenbe used .assaa-mold -form. for. the :melt proe duced .by the. trailing unit.

It isalso possible total-range, two-arcs,aonioppoe site sides .ofQthe shell, so .closely togetherwasstozr form a single, joint, interfused weld bead, preferably confined between juxtaposed plate edges (as proposed in V. Peters Patent 2,529,812). In that event the backing effect of either flux bed may be insignificant, but the necessity for a tight mold form on each side is just as great as otherwise. (I have found it impossible to carry out the proposals of Peters without such a mold form, at least in field construction work on stationary, vertical, cylindrical tank shells.)

The preferred materials used in the present process are as follows. Mild steel plates are usually involved. The edge preparation thereon can be substantially the same as in the manual arc welding of vertical plates with flux-coated electrodes; that is: a normal butt joint is formed; a square edge is always used on the lower plate and a square or bevelled edge on the upper plate. In some respects I prefer features different from manual routine on vertical plates. For instance: the groove or clearance between the plate edges is preferably made as narrow as possible, regardless of plate thickness; and electrodes used are not only continuous and uncoated but also rather uniformly thin regardless of plate thickness. Welding currents used are correspondingly dense. The electrode thickness and current density are also different from those used in comparable, fiat, submerged arc welding. The fluxes used can be those known from shop practice, that is silicates of calcium, manganese or equivalents thereof, with or without other materials added, and with or without special features of preparation and resulting constitution. The flux generally has a higher range of melting temperatures than do the metals involved. It is a relatively poor conductor of heat.

A concept of great importance for the new process is that of the welding zone. This zone,

as mentioned, covers a certain length of the plate given proper weight and effect it will generally be found that the required flux trough, below the welding zone, has an approximate length up to about six or eight inches, so long as the thickness of the shell plates to be welded ranges up to about one or one and a half inches. Typical shell radii h are in a range of fifteen to a hundred and fifty feet. The difficulty encountered in former attempts at submerged welding of vertical shells, when analyzed in the light of the present invention, was connected with the crack formed between a curved rigid shell and a straight edged tray or belt, having typical dimensions as indicated. Such a crack seems minute in comparison with the dimensions of the tank or even with those of the required flux trough. However, it often equals many times the diameter of a typical flux particle. It is for this reason that the safe elimination of such a seemingly minute crack, between the belt and plate, is important. I have discovered the fact that a significant amount of flux tends to escape, within the normal welding cycle, seriously disturbing the formation of a proper weld bead.

,Any attempt to hold the fiux against such escape, by pressure on the flux rather than on travel.

the belt would aggravate the situation; it would lead to the irregular escape of large masses of fiux. Any attempt to resupply the escaping flux would aggravate the situation in a different manner; it would lead to a permanently disturbed flux bed.

The new process will be understood more thoroughly upon further analysis of the welding zone. There is no complete unanimity about the scientific nature of such a zone, but it may be helpful for a practical understanding of the present invention to visualize the present welding zone (Figs, 8, 9, 10) as the body of metal, flux, etc., confined within one of the welding isotherms; for instance in the case of mild steel with 0.2% carbon, the 1490 degree centigrade isotherm X. It can probably be assumed that basically an arc column A, crater B and melt flow zone C form parts of this welding zone and that these parts are generally similar to the corresponding parts of earlier submerged arc welding processes except as noted herein. It can be concluded, and to some extent observed, that the new process involves, as a fourth major part of the welding zone a layer of slag which is formed, supported and utilized in a partly novel manner.

The manner in which the basic arc column A, crater B and melt flow C are formed is fairly well known to the art although not fully understood. The are column A consists largely of an incandescent hot mixture of liquid metal globules A-l, liquid flux particles A-2, and ionized gases and vapors therebetween. The entire fiuidmass moves rapidly, as an arc blast A-3, in the general direction from the tip of the electrode I6 to the apex B-l of the crater B. This apex is largely filled with a mixture of mushy metal B-2, liquid metal B-3, liquid flux B-4 and gas bubbles B-5. There is created and maintained a melt fiow or wave C, progressing along the hot side walls 04 and the even hotter rear wall 04 but generally not along the relatively cooler front wall (3-3 of the crater B; the designations front and rear referring to the direction of electrode As the melt fiow proceeds fairly rapidly, counter-currently to the arc blast, and through a somewhat limited part of the crater, it is turbulent and causes intimate contact between the different constituents of the fiow. This contact in turn causes chemical purification of the molten metal by the flux, as well as mechanical coalescence or mutual ejection of molten metals and lighter constituents. Ejection of fiux or slag is promoted by the relatively rapid freezing thereof. Separation of the constituents takes place progressively in the melt flow C; perhaps with the aid of centrifugal forces in vortex zones 04 forming part of the flow.

The melt flow C, being propelled by the reaction of the arc blast A-3, overcomes considerable gravitational resistance. In the ordinary fiat position of a work piece such a wave flows upwards over an inclined plane. In the present case a great part of the wave flows horizontally along the path of least resistance afforded by the hot and liquefying walls C-Z etc. This preponderance of horizontal direction in the flow or wave C, due to the so-called horizonta1 welding position (that is, horizontal electrode travel along vertical plates) contributes to the danger that molten material may escape. Additionally of course, this danger is due to two basic factors: the fact that the crest C-5 of the wave C is projected out of the crater B, to a plane beyond the front surface of the plates II; and the factthat bead.

*Such drippings are effectivelyprevented by the '*new process. To a largeextent this is achieved by the metal-constrainingeffect ofthe flux or slag moldundisturbedly maintained around the molten metal.

' *The fusing, that is; melting and coalescing of theflux takes placeparticularly atthe-le'ading side of the arc 'column A. It'results in the presence-of a layer of 'more Or lesscoalesced fiux,

covering 'the' entire-welding zone. "The -"incandescent electrodetip is surrounded by-such fused or' fusingfiux D'-l and the hot arc 'column A is surrounded by such fused or fusing flux 'D-2.

'= Further" there is molten, coalescing flux -D-3 emerging from the melt fiow C,- due-to the ejection ofparticlesB-d. These flux bodies D-l, D-Z,

*D-3-may not bee'ntirely contiguous anduninterrupted everywhere, but arefused'into a substantially contiguous, although notnecessarily solid 1:,"

body, at some distance from the-hottest portions D'-l,'D-2-, where they form the well-known slag cover 13-4, protecting the hot metalfrom contact with air; Practicallythe entire mass ofcoalesced and freezing metal -5 is so protected.

' "Ihe metallurgical and chemical advantagesof such protection are Well knownto the art. In

the present process, additional physical advantages are derived from the fused slag cover D,

andmainly-from parts of the'fused and-solidifying part -D l-'of this cover. It mustbe-understood that an admixture of small liquid flux particles makes ametalmelt material more fluid which indeed is one of the essential functions of any-flux-but that thesegregated; fusedand I solidifying cover' D-in eifectmakes the'contact- -ing body of 'molten metal less fluid than-such body alone would be; also less fluid than such body' would be if contacted onlyby granularor "powdered-"material, not fused by the welding process. This cover has a relatively hot, fluid inner' layer D- directly contacting the'freezing but still liquid metal C'5 and probably at least -as= fiuid as that-metal. It alsohas a' relatively cool, viscous outer layer D-(L-rapidlyfreezingdue, to the relatively high melting point of the flux material. This rapidly freezing skin layer D-G adds to the efiective surface tension of the composite body of flux-metalmelt C-dD-Ewhich is indanger of gravitational escape. However the *skin' layer -D-S has this efiect only when being kept undisturbed, by thesupport mechanism 34, 35, 3B for the adjacent, powdered or granular flux-particles.

The metal-constraining effect of the flux sup-- "port and flux mold is further aided by the aforementioned use of certain specific sizes of-electrodes; Mainly when the two Welding arcs; on the two sides of the shell, areclose'enoughtogether to provide substantial mutual preheating of the base metal it is possible'with the smallelectrodes mentioned, and with high-density Welding currents; to provide such joint penetration as to allow very rapid traversing=speeds,-'1il :e to

inches per minute on theplate material asdescribedc "Such hightraversing speed is,-by itself, a feature of great advantage because it-ac- --::celeratestheiprocess as'a whole;:-moreover. it wijaids the: production of an eiflcient'seam, "because 1" witreduces thetiniezinterval during which any one.

' portion 'C S'bf the "metal -m'e1t is exposed'to a substantial moment ofthe :forceof gravity." 5 It might also besaid 'that this routine tends-to keep "the melt and Sean-r"confined between juxtaposed,

solid plate iedges; it reduces-the lateral projection ofthe bead in-front "of the plate.

Asasummary of the foregoing explanations it may' be notedthat the new process-relies on (1)'--'the" mechanis1ri 34f35, 38 whichkeeps the loose flux particles-undisturbed by"gravity;""(2) the skin layer 'D6 of the "slag cover D, the surface tension of which aids in the production of a kind of==moldfor the liquid metal 'and' 5(3) preferably ahigh 'traversing sp'eed, as explained.

The 'basicprocess described derives no aid,- or

* at least no appreciable aid; from "(40 'lateralpres- "sure of-solid, discrete flux particles in the'layer l9. Any attempt-to exertlateral-"pressure on this layer by t the flexible" belt would result"- in warping and other movements of-the-working edge of the belt,-'along theshell, andconsequent loss of theimportantyerticalsupport'provided by this belt. Even if theflux supportbelt" be kept flat and some other'means be'usedtofbring the flux particles into progressive contact'with or lateral, pressure against the :welding'zone, caution is indicated; sincepit is" desirableto'al'low .the escape, at of..the gas bubbles 13-5 which were entrained by the flows A and C and" which against vertical movement and that the, flux bed It is open and at least partly unconstrained.

., The present. welding, zonediiiersgreatly .rfrom that. which, is .formed in the usual manualweldwing, of horizontal-seams in vertical. stationary tank-shells. .J..'l.hei'difler.ence is. largely due .to the .Lfact. that .an. arc. submergedin a ,layer. of flux .is 1 .used herein, .whilethe usual manual routine umustbe performedwith flux=coated electrodes, thatlis, in ..fiux.surr.oundings. to. be created; by, not prearrangedior the,arc..column. Furthermore.;diif.erences..as, totype of .e1ectrode etc. have been mentioned above In, the. manual rou- V, tine it, isusual andnecessary to) deposit multiple -stringtbeadssuccessively from each-side .of the =shel1. This, applies no.t ,0n1y.in: cases wherethe heating up of the basemetal must be controlled to the: greatest extent. possible but. even in the numerousmcases 1. :where isuch time-consuming procedure is. required only bythe factthat. larger masses ofemelt 'could not; be kept from dripping away, i According to. the: present method the horizontal seam canausually bewformed; inthe same shell, with r a .:single,;bead-- deposited. .from beach side ;.-sometimes=-even. with a. single. bead :deposited from one side, penetrating-most or .all

30ft the swell (involving. in ethe .-latter event. the

, -use of -;an electrode 16 andrlux layer: I9 'onione aside. and 0f a:merebacking.fluxlayer l9 Ont-the otherwside) Moreover, the manual depositing of successive-beads cause highi weldingstresses,

which can lbs-reduced only by expensive :routines t-likea'rwanderins'sequence." The present :seamforming-method, withiewer" coextensivebeads,

:reduceszthewelding stresses materially. Generually. speaking, sthezpresent method extends; for 1 the first: time. sotlfar, as'I' know-,: the advantages of submerged arc-welding to thejoining otseams -.;;=.in horizontal:positionp'in the construction of :tanksshellsandth' like.

The present welding zone differs from the welding zone of earlier submerged arc processes. This applies not only due to the different size of electrodes used, as noted above. It applies mainly due to the difierent thermal, gravitational and related features. The shape of the slag-metal interface, and resulting shape of the bead, may be approximately the same herein as in comparable seams produced in flat position; however, the support for and resulting internal stresses of the two types of slag envelopes are quite different.

I have shown two electrodes and flux support structures of similar design, partly opposite one another (Figs. 2, 3), to deposit a welding seam consisting in two string beads with mutually pposed roots. Numerous modifications are possible in this respect. Some of these have been mentioned above; and upon consideration hereof and of the prior art alluded to, other modifications will occur to persons skilled in the art, as to the procedural details and the different horizontal seams and tank shell structures produced thereby. The details depend largely on the requirements imposed on the tank shell, as to resistance to hydraulic and mechanical stresses, high or low temperatures, corrosive attack etc., which may call for different types of metallurgical microstructure, welding stress control, etc. These interrelated matters are complicated but well understood at least for a number of plate materials available for tank shells.

Accordingly, the horizontal seams B-B in tank walls ll formed hereunder may differ as to bead arrangement and the like, but they are basically characterised by two features distinguishing them from the usual, manually formed seams, in stationary vertical curved shells. One of the features is that such as seam B-B is composed of longitudinally substantially homogeneous string beads, produced by the automatic feed and deposition of an electrode wire unrolled from a large reel; not by the use of manually held, necessarily short electrodes with frequent start and end points and resulting areas of irregular bead structure, weld stress and microstructure. The other pertinent feature is that each string bead of seam B-B penetrates at least one half of the thickness of the plates H to be joined; not only one quarter or less, as in the manual routine. Of course the weld beads and seams contemplated herein are made of alloy steel or other metal alloy suitably selected to match the base metal,

Both features mentioned contribute significantly to the overall economy and efficiency balance of the shell and of the complete, fielderected tank or other structure. Both of them are made possible by the submerged arc welding along a vertical surface, which in turn is made possible by the novel flux trough, mold and related features as described.

No doublt various modifications will occur to persons skilled in the pertinent arts, upon consideration of this disclosure.

I claim.

1. Welding process for use on an upstanding shell, comprising the steps of movably holding the ends of a deformable, substantially longitudinally extended strip to the ends of a horizontal area of the shell; deforming an intermediate portion of the so extended strip toward the shell to press said portion to the shell regardless of horizontal curvature and irregularities in the 10 shell; pouring onto said portion a layer of flux contacting the shell; and horizontally traversing the shell with a welding arc submerged under the flux.

2. Welding process for use on an upstanding shell, comprising the steps of movably holding the ends of a flexible, substantially longitudinally extended strip to the ends of a horizontal area on the shell; resiliently flexing an intermediate portion of the so extended strip toward the shell to press said portion tightly to the shell regardless of horizontal curvature and irregularities in the shell; pouring onto said portion a layer of flux contacting the shell; and horizontally traversing the shell with a welding arc submerged under the flux.

3. Welding process for use on an upstanding shell, comprising the steps of temporarily holding the ends of a flexible, substantially longitudinally extended strip to the ends of a horizontal area of the shell; flexing an intermediate portion of the so extended strip toward the shell, beyond the position of the strip that is due to such holding, to press said portion tightly against the shell regardless of horizontal curvature and irregularities in the shell; pouring onto said portion a layer of flux contacting the shell; and horizontally traversing the shell with a Welding arc submerged under the flux.

4. Welding process as described in claim 3 wherein the strip is substantially flat, extended in a substantially flat plane, and flexed substantially in said plane.

5. Welding process for use on an upstanding shell, comprising the steps of maintaining a run of an endless flexible belt substantially longitudinally extended; momentarily holding the ends of said run to the ends of a horizontal area on the shell; flexing an intermediate portion of said run toward the shell to press said portion tightly against the shell regardless of horizontal curvature and irregularities in the shell; pouring onto said portion a layer of flux contacting the shell; horizontally traversing the shell with a welding arc submerged under the flux; and continuously moving the endless belt horizontally along the shell. I

6. Welding process as described in claim 5 wherein, incident to said moving of the belt and pressing of said run, said run is temporarily held in substantially stationary contact with the shell.

7. Welding apparatus for use on an upstanding shell, comprising an endless belt; means for temporarily maintaining a run of said belt substantially longitudinally extended along a horizontal area of the shell and for holding the ends of said run to the ends of said area; yielding means for flexing an intermediate portion of said run toward the shell to press said portion tightly against the shell regardless of horizontal curvature and irregularity in the shell; means for feeding flux and welding wire toward the shell directly above said portion; and a mechanism for moving said several means horizontally along the shell.

8. Welding apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein said means for holding and flexing a run of the belt comprises a pair of end pulleys horizontally spaced from one another to hold said run extended, and a mechanism interposed between said end pulleys for flexing said intermediate portion.

9. Welding apparatus as described in claim 8, wherein said mechanism comprises pressure roller means engaging an edge of the belt and biased toward the shell.

aeaaaze 10. We1ding apparatus as described in -cla-im:9,;- 1' wherein saidc pressure roller means comprises a'as setof rollers vhaving taxesin substantially .-upright planes and said end pulleys have axes in asingle, substantially fiat plane.--.--

11'. *Welding apparatus-as described in claim 10,- comprising means: to press upper periphenalr edge a parts of the end pulleys against-thexshel-l; s and A means -on= peripheral 1' surface-imparts of :the 1 end pulleys to derive tractionuforthe belta,

12.v Welding apparatus .asdescribed in claimalo,

additionally comprising a flat, rigid tray mounted between and horizontally. movable: with: said. end

pulleys, to preventsaid-extended= run :from sagging'unden the-weightsof theaflux poured there-- 15 2,529,812

omnsaidbelts-being substantially flatand said belt-rumbeing extended: in a :fiat plane idirectly References-Cited in the file of this pateritm UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date.

10 1,966,2 4. Hansen; July '10, 1934 2,07-1,246.-. Allen. Feb. 16,1937 2,294,439 Bagley Sept. 1, 1942. 2,337,049 Jackson .Oct. 21,1943 2,395,723.. Chmielewskin Feb. 26,1946

Peters N0v.14, 1950. 

